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Spring 2026 Newsletter

Hi! Your friends at FireSmart Canada here. 🦊

As we move into the spring season, preparation and awareness remain key to keeping our communities safe.

Community Spotlight: Victoria Beach, MB

Victoria Beach in Manitoba launched its FireSmart efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning with a major cleanup at Scott Point—a public reserve that includes the last standing segment of Sunset Boulevard. Over the years, the area had become choked with deadfall, fallen trees, dense underbrush, invasive plants, and accumulated debris. A professional wildfire assessment flagged the site as a significant risk to the community, making the need for action urgent.

More than 100 community volunteers joined an organized cleanup led by arborists, with hands-on support from FireSmart Canada. The project not only reduced wildfire hazards but also restored the landscape through tree planting and created a well-maintained, open space developed in line with FireSmart principles. Since that initial effort, Scott Point has continued to benefit from regular volunteer maintenance.

The success of the first project created lasting momentum in Victoria Beach. The community has since carried out ongoing deadfall removal and seasonal spring and fall cleanups. Major improvements have been made around the pier, tennis courts, roadways, the library, cottage areas, and other public spaces, with additional work on the Village Green planned for May 30, 2026. These initiatives have been driven by the combined efforts of community volunteers, Victoria Beach Public Works, Fire Department, and the city’s Mayor and Council. Victoria Beach has also established a dedicated FireSmart team to guide future projects and continue strengthening local resilience.

Victoria Beach’s FireSmart journey demonstrates how local leadership, volunteer dedication, and consistent maintenance can significantly enhance wildfire resilience across an entire community.

FireSmart Tips & Tricks: Be ready to go

Wildfire conditions can change rapidly—being prepared ahead of time can make all the difference. Take time now to ensure your household is ready to act quickly and safely.

Prepare an emergency bag for each household member that can sustain you for at least 72 hours. Include:

• Water, non-perishable food, and a first aid kit
• Prescription medications and essential medical supplies
• Flashlights, batteries, and a portable phone charger
• Important documents (ID, insurance, emergency contacts)
• Cash, extra keys, and seasonal clothing

Plan what matters most:

In an evacuation, focus on essentials. Prioritize:

• People and pets first
• Medications, phones, chargers, and wallets
• A change of clothes and basic toiletries

Have a clear evacuation plan:

• Identify multiple evacuation routes and a meeting place
• Keep your vehicle fuelled and ready to go
• Know where you will stay if displaced (family, friends, or emergency lodging)

Stay ready throughout the season:

• Review and refresh your emergency kit regularly (replace expired items, update documents)
• Keep your bag in an easy-to-access location
• Monitor alerts and follow evacuation orders immediately

Bonus tip: If time allows before leaving, take photos or a quick video of your home and belongings for insurance purposes.

Wildland Fire Evacuation Preparedness Checklist

Myth busting: A FireSmart yard is boring and unattractive

Many believe that reducing wildfire risk means sacrificing curb appeal and that’s simply untrue.

The FireSmart Canada Landscaping Guide shows that you can create a yard that is both visually appealing and resilient by combining thoughtful plant choices, spacing, and design elements.

You can still include:

1. A variety of plants (yes, still lots of greenery) in the intermediate and extended zones. 
   • Choose fire-resistant plants like Birch and Cherry. These tend to have moist, supple leaves, low resin content, and minimal dead material, which helps them resist ignition while still providing texture and colour.
2. Layered, intentional design (not empty space)
   • Instead of dense, continuous vegetation, FireSmart yards use well-spaced plants which creates visual interest while also slowing fire spread.
3. Hardscaping that enhances aesthetics
   • Stone pathways, decorative rock features, retaining walls, and even dry creek beds can act as fire breaks—and double as beautiful design features.

This approach doesn’t remove beauty—it adds structure, contrast, and intention to your yard design.

Landscaping Guide

Program Highlight

The Building Seminar on FireSmart Principles is designed to equip builders, developers, and construction professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to build more wildfire-resilient communities. Developed as a stand-alone training program, this seminar delivers practical, real-world guidance on integrating FireSmart principles into everyday construction and development practices.

We offer support and a toolkit for those interested in hosting a Building Seminar. To inquire or submit an expression of interest to host a seminar, fill out the request form.

Learn more about the Building Seminar

Contest: Help Ember Choose Her Signature!

Ember the FireSmart Fox has been a vital part of the FireSmart team for years, travelling from coast-to-coast-to-coast to teach us about wildland fire resiliency.

We’re calling on both children and adults to help Ember choose her brand new signature!

How to participate:

Choose between the 3 options below and answer the poll.

Essentials Resources

We are excited to share two new FireSmart Canada toolkits designed to empower you with actionable knowledge and professional expertise.

The Begins at Home toolkit is centered around the Begins at Home app, a self-assessment tool designed to help you identify specific vulnerabilities around your residence. 

Help reduce the risk of wildfires to your community by spreading the word!

Begins at Home Toolkit

Tailored specifically for insurance professionals, the Insurance Course toolkit provides educational framework necessary to advise clients on FireSmart recommendations.

The toolkit is full of tools to help brokers and others in the Insurance industry spread the word.

Insurance Course Toolkit

Grants

Congratulations to all the Wildfire Community Preparedness Day recipients! We continue to see record-setting levels of applications each year, and we’re thrilled to support the majority of these initiatives.

You can find the full list of successful Prep Day recipients at the link below.

Prep Day

A sincere thank you to our sponsors, Co-operators and Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, as well as the provincial and territorial wildfire agencies whose ongoing support makes this program possible.

Reminders & Deadlines

Next application window for Wildfire Community Preparedness Day and the NRP Incentive opens on November 1, 2026.